What would you do if you knew a child was living in an unsafe environment and need a place to stay? Chances are you would help that child.

On San Juan Island there are six homeless youth, 36 children living in extreme poverty, and 136 kids on free or reduced lunches.

I never thought I would be a host parent to a child in need of care, but when the need arose, my family rose to the occasion. Host Families are like foster families, but unsubsidized and not as formally recognized.

For those that can’t be a foster parent or a host family, you can still participate in the betterment of a child’s life by contributing your time as a mentor and/or your money to their care expenses.

If you can help, please make a contribution to the San Juan Island Family Resource Center to help pay for the care of a “foster” child’s host family for incidentals like clothing, a gym membership, transportation, housing, or a special gift certificate for a child. Donations are needed to help host families care for our new children.

For families like ours, who do not receive any financial subsidy as a host family, we pay for all of our new child’s direct needs (food, housing, clothing, books, musical instruments, shoes, furniture, gym membership, sports programs, off-island medical visits, etc). Things that a child needs to thrive.

If you can’t care for a child in your home, consider donating to the “Host Family Fund” at the San Juan Family Resource Center.

Funding for the care of a child can be expensive. Even a gym membership or a second hotel room for a family vacation can help make a big difference to a “foster” child’s host family.

Stephanie Buffum

San Juan Island